Monday 17 February 2014

Women's Aliyyot and K'vod Hatzibbur - 3

Note:
I would like to commend my Haveir R Michael Azose with Birkat Hazzaq uVaruch! For his patient assistance.
Note - this is not meant to imply that he concurs with any of my conclusions... :-)
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Here is a summary of my approach.
For the sake of illustrating my method - let's set aside the BeHaG's Sheetah about women's obligation re: Megilat Esther. And so I am using the case of Women reading the Megilah to help illustrate the case of Women's Aliyot.
Q: May a woman read Megilat Esther for a man?
A: Yes - even as per Rashi and Tosafot, and certainly as per Rambam.
Note: There is also the potential- as per the sugyah in B'rachot - that "Tavo Alav M'eirah" would apply to this case as it does for Birkat Hammazon, but we cannot be certain....

Q: May she recite the B'rachah on Megillah for a man?
A: YES! But, as above, "Tavo Alav M'eirah" is even more likely to apply here re; the recitation of Birkot Megillah by a woman for a man, than just the reading of the Megillah alone would. Because B'rachot more closely resemble Birkat Hammazon as opposed to just reading Scripture.
Q: What about women reading Megillah for for a mixed Tzibbur?
A: Technically, a woman may, no doubt. However, here instead of applying "Tavo Aleihem M'eirah", we might choose to apply "It's Not K'vod haTzibbur" instead.
There are a number of possible reasons as to why we might shift the terminology in this case. The common concept, Tzad Hashevah, here is that both are technically permitted yet both are "frowned upon".
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Now, let's address Women's Aliyot directly.
Either
Model #1
Women's Aliyot were always technically permitted, and yet always had the problem of K'vod Hatzibbur. And so nothing has changed from day one.
Or
Model #2
It used to be OK for women to get an Aliyah. However, in the wake of the Takkanah that added 2 B'rachot for each aliyah, a new problem emerged parallel to women reciting Birkat Hammazon for a man. In this model, it was these added B'rachot that first triggered the issue of K'vod Hatzibbur, just as Birkat Hammazon had previously triggered "Tavo Alav M'eirah" when a woman recited it for a man.

Kol Tuv,
RRW


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